Road forming attachment for motor graders



Nov.v4, 1952 F. H. TOEPFER ETAL 2,616,193 l ROAD FORMING ATTACHMENT FOR MOTQR GRADERS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed June 29, 1951 Nov. A4, 1952 F. H. roEPFl-:R ETAL @2,616,193

ROAD FORMING ATTACHMENT FOR MOTOR GRADERS Filed June 29', 1951 2 sl-IEETs--SHEET 2 `Patented Nov. 4, 1952 UNITED tilt-,193y

STATES PATENT OFFICE ROAD FORMING ATTACHMENT FR MOTOR GRADERS tion of Illinois Application June 29,

8 Claims.

This invention relate-s lto an excavating device and more particularly to an excavating device which is adapted 5to prepare the sub-grade for an additional strip of pavement to be added to an already `existing roadway.

With the increase in the number and size of motor vehicles using the highways, it has ybecome a common practice in many areas to add a relatively narrow strip of surfacing material to existing roads of insufficient width in order to provide a roadway which is more suitable for type of `use to which vit is now subjected. Concrete, bituminous concrete, crushed stone, or a variety of yother materials may be utilized for this purpose.

Various methods of excavating the earth immediately adjacent the road to be widened to provide for the added strip Yof surfacing material have been tried, including the use of the conventional type of motor grader, which, however, is ill adapted for this type of work. Mechanical dC-h digging equipment of the bucket-chain type have also 'been used. Even when such mechanical equipment is used, it is normally necessary to perform a substantial amount of the work by hand labor in order to attain a satisfactory subgrade vfor the additional strip of road surface material.

When a motor grader is utilized for excavating the shoulder material, it is normally necessary to move the grader so that the weels on one side thereof ride on the surface of the vexisting road and the wheels Yon the Aopposite side vride von the shoulder. This in itself causes a Agreat amount of `diflicul-ty ysince it is almost impossible under such `conditions to make a cut having a level bottom and of the desired depth. VSince the specifications for such a widening'strip normally call for 'a particular depth of surfacing material inthe added strip, vit is highly desirable to form the 'cut for the vwidening 'strip Yso that it has as nearly uniform Va depth as possible, exactly equal *to the depth called for in the specifications. Obviously .if the sub-grade in the `cut is made deeper than the 'depth of surfacing material called for, it 'will be necessary 'to use additional surfacing material to bringy the surface fof the widening strip "up to the level of fthe Asurface of the existing road. This, of course, is avery costly procedure 'and it is therefore highly desirable to have the sub-grade formed originally as accurately as possible. Likewise, if the level of the sub-grade in the excavation is too high, vthe widening strip will not be of sufficient depth to meet the specications normally set up 'for 4such an operation.

1951, Serial No. 234,374

The present device is particularly useful in connection with the widening of concrete roads or other roads having a well-defined lateral edge. In widening such a highway, it is a general practice to remove a strip of the contiguous earthr or other material from the shoulder to the desired depth which may be equal to the depth of the concrete in the existing roadway, and to then deposit in the excavated strip a suflicient amount of surfacing material -to form a surface which is substantially level with the surface of the existing road. Preferably, when the added strip is formed of concrete, a self-powered pouring mechanism is utilized which may carry with it, as an integral part thereof, a vertically disposed form, which form is adapted to initially contain the freshly poured concrete. This form moves with the lpouring mechanism and a portion of the previously excavated earth is continually packed against it so that as the form moves out of association with the freshly poured concrete, the earth so packed serves to retain the lateral edge of the newly poured material. This alleviates the necessity for using wooden forms or the like to form the lateral edge of the widening strip and permits the outer edge of the excavation -to have a relatively rough contour, as long as the excavation is -made slightly wider than the desired width of the widening strip to be added.

Itis, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a self-powered excavating device which is adapted to ride entirely on the upper surface of the existing road to be widened, and which therefore obtains-its vertical alignment from that surface.

Likewise, it is an object of this invention to provide such an excavating device which is adapted 5to be laterally aligned when in operation with the lateral edge or surface of the existing slab, which result is achieved by having the ldevice so constructed as to also bear against the vertical edge of the existing road, as well as the upper surface thereof.

Another object of this invention is Vto provide an'excavating vdevice which will make a cut rof .the desired width and depth along the side of `an existing concrete or other similar roadway'and which -will dispose all of the vearth or other material removed from the out in a suitable windrow along the outer edge of the cut.

Sti-ll another object of this 'invention .is to providea device of the character described which produces a satisfactory sub-grade for the widening strip in a 'minimum number of passes; which is capable of preparing a cut `or excavation having a substantially constant depth; and Ywhich 3 removes substantially only that amount of earth in a lateral direction or other material necessary to permit the widening strip to be poured.

Yet another object of this invention is to pro- V vide an excavating device of the character described which may take the form of a special piece of self-powered eduipment or of an attachment for the conventional type or motor grader which can be very quickly attached to or removed from association with the grader.

Another object of this invention is therefore to enable the conventional motor grader to be utilized both in the usual fashion for the ordinary type of work performed by it, and also. as the supporting and driving mechanism for an excavating device of the character described, so that only one operator is required for the operation of both the grade-r and the excavating device.

Still another Qbject of this invention is to -provide an excavating device of the character described which is relatively simple in construction and operation and therefore relatively inexpensive to produce and yet which results in a tremendous saving of time, la'bor and materials in the operation of widening an existing roadway, in the manner described.

With these and various other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the specification, drawings and'claims appended hereto.

In the drawings:

Figure lis a view in elevation of one form o f excavating devi'ce'embodying the pres-ent invention, the device being in the form of an excavating attachment secured to a motor grader and being shown in the normal operating position with relation to an existing roadway;

Figure 2 is a plan view from above of the detachable excavating attachment shown in Figure 1, with the blade of the motor grader being sho-wn in horizontal section;

Figure 3 is a view in elevation and partly in vertical section of the excavating attachment shown in Figure 1, the view being taken from the rear of that portion of th-e device;

Figure 4 is a view in vertical section of a portion of the excavating attachment and the blade of the motor grader shown in Figures 1 and 2, the view being taken along the line 4 4 of Figure 2.

Referring now to Figure 1, the excavating device shown therein is in the form of a conventional motor grader I having removably secured thereto the excavating attachment, indicated generally by the numeral I2. This latter attachment is adapted to be secured to the blade I4 of the motor grader which blade is sho-wn in Figure 2 in horizontal section, and in Figure 4 in vertical section.

The excavating or plow attachment I2 is provided with a main beam I 6 which may be in the form of a steel I-beam, as best shown in Figure 4. This beam I6 has secured thereto a plurality of metal blocks I8, 20, 22 and 24 welded or otherwise attached thereto which may be disposed in spaced relation along the upper surface of the I-beam I6 abutting the flange 28 on one side of the beam I6. The sides of these blocks which are opposite the flange 26 may be given an angular disposition which adapts them to snugly receive the lower edge 28 of the blade I4 as best shown in Figure 4. The blade I4 may have a plurality of securing members, such as the lugs 30, 3| and 32, secured adjacent the upper edge thereof which, in turn, are adapted to receive fastening members threaded at one end, such as the pins 34 and 36, and which are secured at the opposite end t-o ilexible members, such as the chains 38, 39 and 48. Thes-e chains may have their lower ends fastened to securing members on the beam I6, such as the lugs 42, 4-3, 44 and 45. Thi-s pro'- vides for a convenient method of firmly securing the plow attachment I2 to the blade I4 but also readily permits it to be detached when desired. The threaded pins 34 and 36, for example, may be inserted through the lugs 30 and 3.2, respectively, and the chains 38 and 40 drawn up tightly by tightening the nuts 46 and I48 on the pins 34 and 36, respectively, as shown in Figure 4.

The beam I6 may also be provided with a roller 50 at its outer extremity 52, which extremity may be given an appropriate conguration so that the axis of rotation of the roller 56 may be disposed at a suitable angle to the longitudinal axis of the beam I6, as shown in Figure 2.

The inner end of the beam I6 has secured thereto a metal frame structure lying in substantially the same plane as the beam I6. This frame structure is form-ed of the main arm 54 secured at one end to the beam I6 adjacent the block I8 and extending forwardly into association with the arm 56, which is also secured at one end to the main beam I6. The o-uter end of the arm 56 is secured to the frame member 58 which is disposed perpendicul'arly to the arm 54. The frame member 60 is also secured to the arm 56, at an intermediate point, and to the other end of the arm 54. The frame members 58 and 60 together with the members 62 and 64 form a supporting frame for the roller 66 which is similar to the roller 58 and has its axis df rotation disposed parallel to the axis 0f the roller 58. The frame members 68, 18, 'I2 and 'I4 likewise form a supporting frame for the roller 'I6 on the opposite side of the main beam I6, this latter roller also having its axis of rotation disposed parallel to th-e other two rollers 50 and 66.

The end-s of the frame members 58 and 68 opposite to the ends to which the arm 56 is secured are also secured to a vertically disposed baille plate 'I8 which is angularly disposed in turn with respect to the main beam I6, as best shown in Figure 2. This plate 'I8 is comparable in some respects to the share of a conventional plow and is adapted to shear the earth and other shoulder material from the lateral edge of the road slab as it is moved forward in association with that edge. It may be secured intermediate its ends to the beam I6 by welding, o r other suitable means, and may have a gap 88 formed therein immediately above the beam I6 to permit the blade I4 of the motor grader to be more easily inserted in driving relation with the plow attachment I2. The rear portion of the baille plate 'I8 is likewise secured to one end of the frame member 68 and is also secured te the frame member 12, both directly and by the triangular plates 82 and 84 dis-posed on the top of the frame member 12. The leading edge 86 of the baffle plate I8 may have secured thereto by welding, for example, a rub plate 88 formed of wear-resistant metal, which plate is adapted to bear against the lateral edge 98 of the road 92, as best shown in Figure 2 when 'the device is in operation.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the vertical baille plate 'I8 may have a pair of rollers 94 and 96 mounted in spaced relation on the lower portion thereof so that their axes of rotation are substantially perpendicular to the common plane of the main beam I0, and the associated frame members just described. As best shown in Figure 3, these rollers extend through suitable openings in the plate 18 and are adapted to bear against the lateral edge 90 of the existing road 92 when the excavating device is in the operating -position. It may thus be seen that the main beam I6 and its associated frame Work together with the vertical baffle plate 'I8 are capable of being moved along the edge 98 of the existing road 92 in continuous alignment therewith, both laterally and vertically, the vertical alignment being accomplished by the three rollers 50, 65 and 16, and the lateral alignment being accomplished by the rollers 94 and 96.

Attached to the frame Work just described and the plate or share 18 is the moldboard 98v which is preferably disposed so that its longitudinal axis is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the main beam l'B. One lateral edge of the moldboard 98 is secured to the baiile plate or share 18 in front of the point at which the inner end of the beam I6 is attached to the moldboard, the lower edge of the moldboard extending substantially to the leading edge 86 of the baie plate 18, as best shown in Figure 1. The outer edge |82 of the moldboard 98 has a projecting portion |04 formed thereon which insures that no loose dirt will roll back into the cut after the excavating attachment has passed. The contour of the moldboard 98 may be substantially the same as a conventional snowplow or the like which is adapted to throw up a windrow vof material to one side thereof. The lower edge |05 thereof is disposed in a plane parallel to the common plane tangent to the bottom surface of the three rollers 58,-, 66 and 16, so that the base of the cut made by the plow will normally be parallel to the road surface upon which those three rollers rest. The lower edge v|86 of the vmoldboard 98 is preferably of a length such that the distance between the outer extremityv thereof and the vertical Abaille plate 18, as shown in Figure 3, is slightly greater than the desired width of the widening strip being added to the existing road.

Of course, provision could be made for securing an extension to this outer edge of the moldboard to provide for the removal of strips of varying Width.

The outer end of the frame member 'i2 is secured to the outer end of the moldboard 98, as best shown in Figures 2 and 3, and this end of the frame member I2 may be braced with the frame members |08 and H0, the latter in turn being secured to a frame member H2 extending between substantially the midpoint of the moldboard 98 and the vertical baffle plate 18. Additional support may be provided for the baille plate 18^by the strut member H4 extending from the frame members 54 and 62 to the top of the baffle plate 18, substantially at the point where the top edge H6 of the moldboard 98 meets the baffle plate 18.

An angularly disposed vramp plate H8. may be provided immediately in front of the roller 66, having its upper edge secured to the frame member 58 and one. of its lateral edges secured to the, baleplate 1.8 so that it extends downwardly toward the road 9.2 as shown in Figure 2. A similar ramp member |20 may be provided behind the roller T6 having its upper edge secured to Vtherframe member 'l2 and one of its lateral '6 edges secured to the vertical baffle plate '|8. These two ramp members H 8 and |20 aid in moving the motor grader in proper position for securing of the excavating attachment to the blade of the grader. The left-hand front wheel of the grader may be driven over the ramp member |20 and then over the frame work of the excavating attachment, and down the ramp member I8. This puts the motor grader in substantially the correct position for attachment of the blade When the blade is disposed at the proper angle. Similar ramp members may be provided on the outer end of the main beam I6, if desired, in order to enable the right-hand front wheel of the motor grader to pass easily over the beam I'E.

As previously described when the grader has been driven into a suitable position so that the excavating attachment is disposed as shownpin Figure 1, the blade I6 may be secured in position on the main beam IB, as shown in Figure 4, and the whole device is then ready for operation. If the excavating operation is just beginningat a particular point, the excavating attachment l2 can bev aligned with the edge of the road vand as the motor grader is moved forward, gradually lowered, so that it digs into the shoulder of the road until the rollers 50, B0 and 'i8 are in contact with the surface of the road S2.

At the same time the motor grader is manipulated so that it tends to move forward at a slight angle toward the center of the road 92,. which will cause the rub plate 88 and the rollers 84 and 98 on the vertical baffle plate 'i8 to be held in intimate contact with the lateral edge of the road 92. The blade of the motor lgrader' may be so positioned, after the excavating attachment is secured thereto, so that the blade and the motor grader itself forces the beam |'6 and its associated frame work downwardly and maintains the rollers 50, 05 and 78 in intimate relation with the upper surface of the road 92. The disposition of these rollers so as to form a triangle aids in insuring that any undesirable variations in the surface of the road 92 have a minimum amount of eifect on the vertical alignment of the plow member I2.

In the embodiment of the invention shown, the main beam |6 is of la length such that the roller 50 rides on the center line |22 of the road 92. This has been found to be a desirable length, although, of course, this will depend upon the width of the existing road upon which the device is being operated. Obviously, the form ofthe frame work supporting the rollers 66 and 'I6 and the moldboard 98 need not be of the precise construction illustrated, although it has been found that the relative disposition of the main beam I8 and the moldboard 98 should be substantially that as shown, for best results. The angular disposition of the moldboard 88 and the main beam |6 relative to the share or baffle 'i8 may, of course, be varied somewhat but the angles shown in Figure 2 have been found to provide satisfactory operation.

As previously mentioned, although vthe device which has been primarily described in this specification is in the form of a motor grader having a detachable excavating portion associated therewith, applicants do not wish to limit themselves to this detachable form. Obviously a device in which the excavating portion is formed integrally with the remainder of the mechanism is also within the confines of this invention.

It is, therefore, to be understood that the invention is not to be limited by the exact embodiments of the device shown, which are merely by way of illustration and not limitation, as various other forms of theA device will, of course, be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing Afrom the spirit or scopeof the invention as defined in the following claims.

` Weclaim:

1. An excavating device adapted to remove a strip of shoulder material from association with the lateral edge of an existing road slab, comprising a vself-propelled vehicle, a freely adjustable supporting and driving frame carried by said vehicle, a horizontally disposed alignment member secured to said supporting and driving frame adatped to be moved with said vehicle so as to be heldin intimate contact with the upper surface of said road slab and to be supported thereby, a vertically disposed alignment and cutting element secured to and supported by said horizontal alignment member adapted to be held in intimate contact with one of the sides of said road slab when said horizontal alignment member is moved with said Vvehicle and a moldboard angularly secured to said vertical alignment and cutting element and to said horizontal alignment member and supported by the latter member, the vertical and lateral disposition of said moldboard being thus determined by the disposition of the upper surface and the side of said road slab, respectively.

2. An excavating device adapted to remove a strip of shoulder material from association with the lateral edge of an existing road slab, comprising a self-propelled vehicle, a freely adjustable supporting and driving frame carried by said vehicle, a horizontally disposed alignment member secured to said supporting and driving frame, a plurality of spaced rollers on the horizontal alignment member adapted to be held by said vehicle in rolling contact with the uppersurface of said road slab so that said alignment member is supported by said road slab, a vertically disposed alignment and cutting elementsecured to and supported by said horizontal alignment member, a plurality of spaced rollers on said vertical alignment and cutting element adapted to be held by said vehicle in rolling contact with one of the sides of said road slab, and a moldboard angularly secured to said vertical alignment and cutting element and to said horizontal alignment member and supported by the latter member, the vertical and lateral disposition of said moldboard being thus determined by the disposition of the upper surface and the side of said road slab, respectively.

3. In an excavating device adapted to remove a strip of shoulder material from association with the lateral edge of an existing road slab, a plow member comprising a horizontally disposed alignment member adapted to be moved by a selfpropelled vehicle along said road slab in intimate contact with the upper surface 'thereof so as to be supported by said surface, a vertically disposed alignment and cutting element secured to and supported by said horizontal alignment member adapted to be held in intimate contact with one of the sides of said road slab when said horizontal alignment member is moved by said vehicle, and a moldboard angularly-secured to Vsaid vertical alignment and cutting element and to said horizontal alignment member so as to be supported by the latter member, the vertical and lateral disposition of said moldboard being thus determined by the disposition of the upper surface and the side of said road slab, respectively. 4. An excavating attachment for a self-propelled .road 'grader having: an adjustable blade, which attachment is adapted to remove'astrip of shoulder material from association with the lateral edge of an existing r'oad slab comprising a horizontally disposed alignment member adapted to be removably secured to the blade` of said road grader so that it may beheld in intimate contact with the upper surface' of said road slab and be supported thereby Vas said grader is moved thereon, a vertically disposed alignment and cutting element secured'to and supported by said horizontal alignment member adapted to be held in intima-te contact with one of the sides of said road slab when said horizontal alignment member is moved with said road grader, and a. moldboard angularly secured to said verticalV alignment and cutting element and to said horizontal alignment member so as to be supported by the latter member, the vertical lateral disposition of said moldboard being thus determined by the disposition of the upper surface and the side of said road slab, respectively. Y

5. An excavating attachment for a self-propelled road grader having an adjustable blade, which attachment is adapted to remove a strip of shoulder material from association with the lateral edge of an existing road slab, comprising a normally horizontal alignment member adapted to be removably secured to the blade of said road grader, a plurality of rotatable members on said alignment member adapted to be held in intimate contact with the upper surface of said road slab when said attachment is in the excavating position and adaptedv to support a part of the weight of said road grader when said adjustable blade is lowered below the position of normal abutment with said alignment member when the latter is supported by said road slab, a vertically disposed alignment and cutting element secured to and supported by said horizontal alignment member adapted to be held in intimate contact with one of the sides of said road slab when said horizontal alignment member is moved by said road grader,

and a moldboard angularly secured to said vertical alignment and cutting element and to said horizontal alignment Amember so as to be supported by the latter member, the vertical and lateral disposition of said moldboard being thus Vdetermined by the disposition of the upper sur- `face and the side of said road slab, respectively.

6. An excavating attachment for a self-propelled road grader having an adjustable blade, which attachment is adapted to remove a strip of shoulder material from association with the lateral edge of an existing road slab, comprising a guide member adapted to be removably secured to vthe blade of said road grader so that it may be held in intimate contact with the upper surface and one of the sides of said road slab as said grader isrmoved thereon, a horizontal alignment member forming a part of said guide memberadapted to be moved in contact with the upper surface of said road slab, a vertically disposed alignment member forming a part of said guide member adapted to be moved in contact with said side of said road slab, a cutting blade secured to the leading edge of said vertically disposed alignment member adapted to normally abut said side of said road slab and a moldboard angularly secured to said vertical alignment member and to said horizontal alignment member so as to be supported by the latter member, the vertical and lateral disposition of said moldboard being thus determined by the disposition of the upper surface and the side of said road slab, respectively.

'7. An excavating attachment for a self-propelled road grader having an adjustable blade, which attachment is adapted to remove a strip of shoulder material from association With the lateral edge of an existing road slab, comprising a horizontally disposed alignment member adapted to be moved in intimate contact with the upper surface of said road slab as said grader is moved thereon, a blade receiving element angularly disposed to the longitudinal axis of said alignment member, means for removably securing said adjustable blade on said road grader to said blade receiving element, a vertically disposed alignment member secured to and supported by said horizontal alignment member adapted to be moved in intimate contact with one of the sides of said road slab when said horizontal alignment member is moved with said road grader, a cutting element secured to the leading edge of said vertically disposed alignment member adapted to be held in sliding Contact with said side of said road slab- When said vertically disposed alignment member is moved in contact therewith, a moldboard angularly secured to said vertical alignment member and to said horizontal alignment member substantially at right angles to said blade receiving element and supporting means for said moldboard secured to said horizontal alignment member, the vertical and lateral disposition of said moldboard being thus determined by the disposition of the upper surface and the side of said road slab, respectively.

8. An excavating attachment for a self-propelled road grader having an adjustable blade, which attachment is adapted to move a strip of shoulder material from association with the lateral edge of an existing road slab, comprising a guide member, a plurality of rotatable members on said guide member adapted to be moved in contact With the upper surface of said road slab and one of the sides of said slab, a blade receiving element angularly disposed to the longitudinal axis of said guide member, means for securing said blade to said blade receiving element so that when said blade is lowered sufficiently a portion of the weight of said road grader is carried by said rotatable members, a vertically disposed alignment member forming a part of said guide member, which vertically disposed alignment member is adapted to move in intimate contact With said side of said road slab, a cutting element secured to the leading edge of said vertically disposed alignment member adapted to move in sliding relation With said side of said road slab when said attachment is moved with said road grader and a moldboard angularly secured to said guide member so that the vertical and lateral disposition thereof is determined by the disposition of the upper surface and the side of said road slab, respectively.

FRANCIS H. TOEPFER.

MARVIN G. LUTZ.

CARL CHADOCK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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